The Impact Factor's Top 10 Games of 2023

 The Impact Factor’s Top 10 Games of 2023

Let’s keep this short and sweet this time around, yeah? 2023 was a phenomenal year for game releases. If you’ve read any of the past couple year’s posts, you would know that I have been trending more towards lifestyle games. Games that are easier to pick up and put down, and feel better when played in short bursts. The caliber of 2023 releases was so great, however, that it pushed me more towards my old ways. That’s awesome! The games were too good to be overlooked.

Most important to me — this year was huge for playing together with my wife. The back half of the year was spent almost exclusively sitting side by side, controllers in hand. It’s something I am always going to remember. 

2023 was also a year of HUGE releases when looking at playtime. I played three games for over 100 hours (one of those being Genshin Impact again, heh), and several others for 50+. With that in mind, I barely played more than 10 new release games. So while I stand by this list, keep in mind that its more an ordered list of games I played rather than a definitive representation of everything that released this year. 

Anyway, onto the list. See you all next year for the tenth anniversary of making these silly things!

10. Rogue Legacy 2

The classic “does this count since it came out on other platforms prior to 2023 but only came to Playstation this year?” Oh well. Rogue Legacy 2 is a blast, improving basically everything from the first game. Extremely satisfying 2D platforming, fun roguelike procedural generation, and enough run-to-run progress to always feel like you are one step closer seeing the credits roll. I played this at the same time as Final Fantasy XVI (a deeply disappointing game that will not make this list), and found myself booting this up 9 times out of 10. Super fun!

9. Sea of Stars

A beautiful pixel-art RPG that plays into some of my biggest nostalgia — the JRPGs of the Super Nintendo generation. More than a little inspired by Chrono Trigger, but unique enough to chart its own path, Sea of Stars has been so fun to play. RPGs like this are definitely a comfort food for me. It has, so far, been a simple experience, but simple is good. It feels so deeply refined that each moment has been a joy. Full disclosure — I have not beaten it yet. I’ll get there.

8. Dead Space (Remake)

What a year for new era remakes of classic survival horror games. Dead Space was an instant classic of its time, and still playable (and fantastic!) in its original form. But the remake went above an beyond. It’s one of those perfect remakes where it keeps everything that worked & makes it prettier (gorier?) while adding new quality of life changes and content that feel natural. The seamless exploration of the USS Ishimura changed the experience meaningfully. I played this front to back as soon as it released, and I keep itching to play it again. 

7. Lies of P

One of the best Soulslike games not made by From Software. Lies of P has a silly premise; it’s a dark Victorian horror game about Pinocchio killing robots and zombies with a great sword. Yep. But the gameplay was super smooth, with a smart and highly customizable weapon assembly system, and creative boss fights. It’s one of the easier Soulslike games I've played, and there is room for improvement with level design and enemy variety, but the fact that this game came out of nowhere and is almost at the quality of a From Software game is a huge accomplishment. 

6. Street Fighter VI

A return to form for Capcom fighters and one of, if not THE, best Street Fighter game ever released? Everything about this game is fun and fluid. Modern controls and more lenient target combos lower the skill floor, which makes it so much easier to feel like you’re good. Like you’re actually doing something. The art and character designs are at the series best (Luke turkey forearms included). Not everything worked in the Yakuza-inspired single player, but I loved the ambition and liked what they did manage to achieve. It felt great feeling out the characters, hitting the lab to master my approach and combos, and climbing the ranked ladder. Without realizing, I played this for nearly 70 hours. I’m more spectator than player now, but after EVO 2023, I know the future of Street Fighter VI is bright.

5. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

I love Spider-Man, I love Insomniac Games, and I loved both prior Spider-Man games. So I was primed to love this. And I did! It was the best of the bunch (of all categories I listed). Spider-Man 2 has modest ambitions, but at what it is trying to do (open world exploration, fun comic book moments and characters, fast-paced third person combat) it is unrivaled. Spider-Man 2 is a page turner of a game, one that I did not want to put down until I finished. And 100%’d. And platinumed. I cannot wait for more of this franchise, and future Marvel games from this studio. 

4. Resident Evil 4 Remake

As I get older, I am fairly convinced that Resident Evil might be my favorite video game franchise. Like, top one. RE4 has been in and out of my top 10 games of all time, and when it first released, it pushed me towards a greater appreciation of video games as a medium. I love everything about this scary, silly game. Leon’s one liners (Where are they all going, bingo?!) to mine cart chases, to giant monster fish and everything in between. Similar to what I wrote above with Dead Space is true here. What a phenomenal remake, what a phenomenal game, and what I phenomenal time I had playing this with my wife watching. 

3. Diablo IV

There is little more satisfying in games than casting a frost nova on 50 skeletons and watching as they explode into a symphony of ricocheting ice shards that clear an entire screen of demons and ghouls and giant spiders. Diablo IV is just…fun. I played this from the very beginning with my wife — we had been awaiting this release for years after how much fun we had with Diablo III. And in my opinion, Diablo IV is better in pretty much every way than its predecessor. We played this together on our eternal characters and hopped right into the first season to roll two new toons. We even got to play this with my brother and sister in law, and had a regularly scheduling gaming night across coasts! I loved loved loved my time with Diablo IV this year. This is one of the 3 100+ hours games (final 2023 hours: 110).

2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

If you all remember, I really liked Breath of the Wild. Even rated it as my number two game from 2017! But for as much as I liked it, I appreciated it more. The distinction is important here. There was so much about Breath of the Wild that didn’t click with me: the survival elements, the cooking for health restoration, the small stamina meter, weapon degradation, small “classic” Zelda dungeons, etc. So I was worried going into Tears of the Kingdom. Would I not like what is almost certain to be one of the most universally acclaimed games of the year? Of all time? Well, I’m happy to say that was not the case. Tears of the Kingdom was an improvement in almost every way. A remarkable, head scratchingly huge and complex game with player expressivity at its heart. The new powers (fusion, ascension, record/reverse) gave so much agency to the player to explore their own way. Adding the sky and underground layers made the world feel so much more expansive and intimidating. Larger dungeons allowed for bigger and better set piece moments (the master sword scene, uhm, hello???). The design of Tears of the Kingdom is a marvel. In most other years, this would be my clear number 1 spot. I do think I still appreciate more than enjoy Tears of the Kingdom (survival elements and moment-to-moment gameplay don’t 100% click with me), but alas, one of the best games ever made got released this year. And it is number 1.

1. Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the best games ever made. It was almost instantly in my top 10 games ever, and the more I play the more I like it. Baldur’s Gate 3 has almost everything I would want from a game: a well designed co-op experience, an expansive world intricately crafted in which player agency feels deeply respected, well written characters, challenging combat… I don’t know. The list goes on and on and I do not even feel like I’m scratching the surface. I cannot fathom how Baldur’s Gate 3 was made. It remembers everything, every choice matters, the world and characters respond to you. Baldur’s Gate 3 is an epic adventure that feels like the best D&D session with the best DM that you could possibly imagine. My wife and I have not put this down since early September. Our game clock is at nearly 200 hours and counting, with much more playing planned. I just. I. This game is a marvel and one of the best experiences I’ve ever had with a video game. With a piece of media or art. The fact that I could share all of that with my soulmate made this unquestionably the Game of the Year for 2023!